1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to a metal heating apparatus, a metal heating method, and a light source apparatus.
2. Related Background Art
There are a variety of devices for heating metal. For example, soldering is performed by heating with a heater, and by heating by laser beam irradiation as well.
Laser beams of wavelengths from the far infrared region to the long-wavelength visible region have been used heretofore in order to heat a solder by laser beam irradiation, as described in Japanese Utility Model Laid-Open No. 5-18751 or in Masayuki Ikeda “Laser Engineering,” Ohmsha, pp. 59-62 (e.g., Patent Document 1 and Non-patent Document 1).
In production of electronic equipment, for example, soldering is carried out in order to electrically connect electronic components, wires, and so on. Soldering is done by melting a solder on a metal member and thereafter solidifying the molten solder. Japanese Patent Applications Laid-Open No. 6-71425, Laid-Open No. 11-197868, and Laid-Open No. 2002-239717 disclose apparatus and methods capable of soldering by melting a solder by laser beam irradiation. The soldering methods disclosed in these documents are intended to increase a temperature rise rate of the solder.